Business jet operator Valo Aviation has secured a Bahraini air operator's certificate, becoming the country's first business jet charter specialist. The company announced the awarding of the AOC at last week's Bahrain International Airshow 2024.
Initially, Valo will charter aircraft on behalf of owners, its launch aircraft being a Kuwaiti-owned Gulfstream G550, and the operator hopes to manage up to 15 aircraft within two years. CEO Hanna Hakamo told journalists that she believed Bahrain was "woefully underserved" by business jet operators.
Hakamo also noted that obtaining the AOC took around two years, with existing procedures geared towards scheduled airline operators. Valo has no intentions of owning any aircraft, she added.
Besides air charter, Valo Aviation offers business aircraft sales, management, maintenance, and flight operations support. The company is building a hangar at Bahrain International. Completing that will allow Valo to become a full-service operator. The operator is also applying for Air Navigation Technical Regulations (ANTR) 145 certification - the local equivalent of EASA/FAA Part-145 approval.
